House Cleaning Checklists: 12 Professional Templates to Get (and Stay) Organized

The most successful cleaning businesses all have one thing in common: quality service.

But as your to-do list as a business owner grows, it can get tougher to keep tabs on every job—and to see if your crew is delivering quality cleanings every single time.

House cleaning checklists help cleaners stay consistent from job to job. They also offer proof to your customers that you’ve done a thorough cleaning and left no nook or cranny behind.

When you use cleaning service checklists:

• Your service is consistent. When employees have access to standardized to-do lists, your crew can maintain high-quality service on every job and reduce the chance of errors.
• Your customers stay satisfied. Consistent service quality keeps customers happy and turns them into repeat customers.
• You look professional. Using a cleaning checklist and sharing it with customers makes you look more professional.
• You stay organized. Your team can be more organized and spend time only on relevant cleaning tasks that improve overall efficiency.
• You improve accountability. If a cleaning job isn’t done right, you can refer employees to your house cleaning list to see what happened.

If you aren’t using checklists yet, don’t sweat it. We’ve put together several cleaning checklist templates and some bonus checklist tips to help new and veteran cleaning businesses work more efficiently.

READ MORE: Find cleaning employees and grow your business

How to clean a house professionally

Use basic cleaning checklists to plan before every cleaning job

When your crew has more time to clean, they can do a more thorough job.

Shave prep time off the start of a visit by asking your clients to run through a few simple tasks to prepare the house for cleaning.

To help your clients clear up the house before a cleaning, try sending a decluttering to-do list beforehand with tasks like these:

• Put away fragile items
• Remove all clutter like paper, clothes, and anything that isn’t decor
• Clear all dishes out of the sink and dishwasher

When you send this list a few days before the visit, be sure to let your client know that decluttering will make way for a better cleaning experience.

Preparation on your end will also save your crew lots of time. Create a pre-cleaning checklist so nothing slips through the cracks. It can start with:

• Packing and restocking your cleaning supplies
• Reviewing your client’s profile for special notes
• Sending an appointment reminder to the client to confirm the date and time

Organize your cleaning supplies

Before creating your detailed house cleaning checklist, make sure you have a shareable list of cleaning supplies that covers every room and every type of job.

Checking this list before you dispatch your team will ensure your cleaners never miss a sponge or spray bottle. Here’s a cleaning supplies list you can start with:

• Vacuum cleaner
• Broom and dustpan
• Bucket
• Extendable duster
• Rubber gloves
• Spray bottle
• All-purpose cleaner
• Glass cleaner
• Wood cleaner
• Furniture polish
• Disinfectant for germ-prone areas
• Microfiber cloths
• Microfiber mop for wood floors
• Toilet brush
• Sponges
• Paper towels
• Garbage bags

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Create regular and deep cleaning checklists

Your clients’ house cleaning schedules will depend on what they need and can afford, but it’s best to set two types of repeating visits: a regular cleaning and a deep cleaning.

Most of your clients are probably too busy to deep clean their own homes—and it’s likely that they haven’t done a proper deep cleaning since moving in! This type of cleaning job gives your cleaners the chance to go the extra mile, and it’ll make your regular cleanings easier, too.

Let your clients know why it’s important to deep clean, and try to schedule deep cleanings every six months in addition to your regular appointments.

When you create checklists for these cleanings using the job forms feature in Jobber, you can attach them to your recurring visits. Then your workers can access those checklists on their mobile devices during the job.

These checklists keep your crew consistent and efficient by giving them an order of rooms to follow. They’ll also ensure your cleaners always start from the top down (e.g., furniture and countertops before floors) so that dust and dirt don’t fall onto surfaces they’ve already cleaned.

With a routine to lean on, your team can work more and more efficiently with each job.

Professional house cleaning checklists

Since many cleaning services are unique, and no one job is the same, use the cleaning checklist templates below as skeletons to build your own checklists.

We’ve compiled lists for major rooms in the house and for different types of jobs. Customize them, add to them, and delete what doesn’t apply to you.

Regular house cleaning tasks

• Dust all furniture, shelves and decor
• Dust window ledges and blinds
• Dust lamps, light fixtures, and ceiling fans
• Dust baseboards
• Wipe down doors and doorframes
• Clean out all corners for cobwebs
• Tidy shoe closets
• Vacuum all floors, carpets, rugs, and stairs
• Mop hard floors
• Clean glass surfaces
• Vacuum sofa and other upholstered furniture (remove cushions)
• Straighten pillows and linens
• Empty and replace wastebasket

Weekly cleaning checklist

• Vacuum floors and furniture
• Sweep all floors
• Mop kitchen and bathroom floors
• Dust furniture
• Change bedding
• Wipe down kitchen appliances
• Clean microwave
• Sanitize sponges
• Disinfect door knobs and light switches

READ MORE: 20 types of cleaning services you can offer

Deep cleaning checklist

A deep cleaning house checklist should include all your general cleaning tasks, plus these extras:

• Clean and disinfect:
  • the inside of the oven, stove grates, and hood fan
  • inside of the refrigerator
  • inside of the dishwasher
  • the walls behind large appliances
  • ceiling fans
• Polish metal hardware
• Clean grout and soap scum from shower tiles
• Change bedsheets
• Wash windows (inside only)
• Deep clean carpets
• Wash shower curtain
• Wash or shampoo rugs
• Clean gutters

Move-out cleaning checklist

• Clean doors, walls, and shelves
• Dust baseboards, window sills, and shelves
• Dust closets
• Wipe interior and exterior of cabinets and drawers
• Sweep, mop, or vacuum floors
• Remove cobwebs
• Replace burnt out light bulbs
• Dust light fixtures
• Clean shower, tub, sinks, and toilet
• Clean laundry machines
• Remove nails and hooks from walls, and fill in holes
• Spot clean walls
• Wash window sills and baseboards
• Remove carpet stains
• Wipe down and disinfect all countertops

Monthly cleaning checklist

• Wipe baseboards
• Wash windows
• Clean blinds
• Dust and clean grime from ceiling fan blades
• Dust and vacuum air vents
• Wipe chair rails
• Wash blankets
• Wash mattress pads
• Deep clean kitchen appliances
• Clean out pantry
• Scrub tile grout
• Clean light fixtures
• Spot treat carpet and upholstery
• Wipe down door frames
• Clean garage
• Clean laundry room and washing machines
• Wash rugs
• Clean out dryer vent
• Clean trash cans

READ MORE: Simple ways to improve employee training for your cleaning business

Cleaning checklist for Airbnb

• Wash and change bedsheets
• Wash towels and bathrobes
• Clean the kitchen
• Throw out leftover food
• Dust furniture and other surfaces
• Wipe down countertops
• Sweep and mop floors
• Vacuum carpets and rugs
• Vacuum all sofas and underneath furniture
• Clean toilets, showers, and bathtubs
• Disinfect door knobs, light switches, and remotes
• Take out trash and replace the garbage bag

Cleaning checklists by room

Kitchen cleaning checklist

• Dust tops of kitchen cabinets and appliances
• Wipe down countertops and cabinets
• Wipe down stovetop
• Clean microwave inside and out, including turntable
• Clean dishwasher
• Soak stove drip pans and knobs in sink
• Clean inside and around sink
• Clean and dry all appliance surfaces including dishwasher, toaster, oven, top of refrigerator, freezer, stovetop, and range hood
• Shine stainless steel appliances
• Clean stove drip pans, burner grates, and control knobs
• Clean and disinfect kitchen sink
• Wipe cupboard fronts, tables, and chairs
• Sweep and mop floor
• Replace rugs
• Empty and replace wastebasket

Bathroom cleaning checklist

• Remove all dirty towels and washcloths
• Dust all surfaces, including light fixtures and decor
• Clean and disinfect shower, bathtub, and sinks (inside and out)
• Clean and disinfect toilet bowl, seat, lid, tank, flush handle, and base
• Clean and shine all mirrors, chrome, and tile
• Remove hair from bathtub drain
• Wipe cabinet fronts, fixtures, and countertops
• Vacuum and mop floor
• Replace rugs
• Empty and replace wastebasket

READ MORE: Get the free e-book on how to run a better cleaning business

Bedroom cleaning checklist

• Reposition furniture as necessary to vacuum
• Dust all furniture
• Vacuum room and closet floors
• Wipe down window sills
• Clean window coverings
• Clean mirrors and picture frames
• Return furniture to original position
• Make bed

Living areas cleaning checklist

• Dust from top to bottom with microfiber cloth
• Remove lint from all furniture
• Vacuum upholstered furniture and floor
• Clean picture frames
• Clean window coverings
• Wipe down light fixtures, switches, and outlets
• Dust and clean TV
• Clean coffee tables and end tables
• Clean fireplace and mantel

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Window cleaning checklist

• Remove drapes or wipe down blinds
• Vacuum dust and debris from window frames
• Scrub window frames with sponge, soap, and water
• Dry window frames with microfiber cloth
• Remove and clean window screens
• Clean window tracks
• Clean exterior window glass
• Wipe exterior window frames clean

These house cleaning checklists are just a start. You can customize your lists by task instead of by room, or create custom checklists for customers with pets, children, or allergies.

You can also create specific cleaning checklists for special cases like COVID-19 deep cleans.

FREE TOOL: Try our free cleaning receipt template

Create a mobile-friendly house cleaning checklist

When you’re ready to create and distribute your own house cleaning list, invest in cleaning business software instead of printing and re-printing paper checklists in over-stuffed binders.

A digital job checklist, like the one shown here, is easier to edit and duplicate. You can also send them to your team member’s mobile devices and track which items they complete.

Finally, you can attach checklists to client profiles and send them to the client to show off a job well done.

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